There was a menacing moment at the conclusion of Dennis Gregory’s most recent and successful title defense of the most coveted title in the Commonwealth—the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (KSWA) Heavyweight Championship. At this very sobering point in time, that maybe no one who can best Gregory at his own game.

On April 6, Gregory dispatched of BROhemoth, who one two FanFests ago was challenging then-KSWA Champion Mitch Napier for the championship. And that was after the BROnomaly inserted himself in the championship mix. This time the challenge was at a packed American Legion Langley Post, instead of the biggest showcase in Pennsylvania’s popular Independent scene.

And before that, Gregory defeated Napier during the Joe Abby Memorial Tournament and Hall of Fame night at Spirit Hall, the KSWA’s primary home since 2005. In fact, BROhemoth’s most recent title opportunity wasn’t his first. In February, BROhemoth challenged Gregory and was dispatched at Spirit. One month earlier, Gregory defeated “The Gavel” David Lawless during the first event of 2019.

This is all spectacular gamesmanship for Gregory since winning the KSWA (and by proxy, Pennsylvania’s) top wrestling championship. By besting the Joe Abby Memorial Tournament champion BROhemoth twice, one of the area’s premier talents (and former KSWA Champion) Lawless, and arguably the KSWA’s most successful champion in history (Napier), it can be asserted that Gregory is at the absolute apex of his brilliant career.

So, who could defeat Gregory and ascend to the top of Pennsylvania’s highest peak? We look at some possibilities. [Editor’s Note: This analysis exempts the VIPs—Shawn Blanchard, Lou Martin and Tommy Faime—as they are among the top talents working today and their inclusion is simply too easy. Plus, everyone wants to see the VIPs challenge once again for KSWA gold.] Napier, Lawless and BROhemoth are also excused from this exercise because they recently had opportunities.

Shane Starr

Shane Starr has cemented himself as one of the KSWA’s top tag team talents of all time. He is also an incredibly accomplished former KSWA Heavyweight Champion who held that belt for 511 days. He graciously vacated the KSWA’s Golden Triangle Championship after 652 days and winning the top prize “to give someone else an opportunity.” Now a veteran of over 13 years, Starr would face up well physically with Gregory. Both Megastars are incredibly physical wrestlers and could go toe-to-toe in the power category.

T-Rantula

The two long-time veterans would tear down any venue in which the match was sanctioned. While the two men haven’t faced-off in Pittsburgh’s KSWA often, they do know each other very well from the Western Pennsylvania scene. Gregory, who is one of the strongest pound-for-pound wrestlers in the industry, still wouldn’t have the ability to man handle the former KSWA tag team champion. At 6’7” and well over 350 pounds, few athletes have T-Rantula’s mass, power and expertise. Gregory would have to rely on his wits, and perhaps Mayor Mystery’s suitcase of tricks to compete with T-Rantula.

Sly Scarpone

Scarpone is still relatively new to the KSWA, but he has made an impression. Currently, Scarpone is hot on the heels of Gregory’s “Team Don’t Care” partner, Bubba the Bulldog for the 5-Star Championship. In fact, Scarpone successfully answered Bubba’s infamous “Open Challenge” and won the belt. Then in one of the most devious moves in KSWA annals, Bubba cashed in his Battle Bowl contract for the 5-Star Championship. Always an opportunist, Bubba bashed Sly around before calling for his chance. Bubba recaptured the 5-Star Championship and left an SRO Spirit Hall crowd irate. Just as with Starr, Scarpone is a physical peer along with Gregory. The veterans are around the same age and both command physiques of much younger competitors. A sprinter up the KSWA Championship Committee’s competitive ladder, Scarpone would probably still need to have success elsewhere before getting a match for Gregory’s top prize.

The Jester

The always zany Jester recently observed his ninth anniversary inside the squared circle. In a training class that included Edric Everhart, Tony Johnson, Jay Flash, and Ty Cross, the Jester got his start in the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance. The Jester’s first KSWA contest took place during the February, 2010 Lou Martin Gauntlet Match. That contest, under the KSWA’s 10th anniversary, the Jester began what has become a fruitful career in Pittsburgh’s official wrestling promotion. A tag team and 5-Star champion, The Jester has never won the Golden Triangle or KSWA Heavyweight Championships. With his unorthodox style, The Jester would be a quite unpredictable challenger. With incredible quickness and nonconformist battle plan, The Jester could keep Gregory on his toes.

Anthony Alexander

It’s inevitable that if Gregory continues to hold onto the KSWA Championship, he will have to face Gregory. The KSWA’s Golden Triangle Championship is often considered the stepping stone the top prize, and its titleholder is never lower than the official #2 contender. Lou Martin was the two-time KSWA Champion ready for FanFest 2013 when then-Golden Triangle Champion Shane Starr challenged. That was one of the biggest and most important matches in Pittsburgh that year. Now over 500 days as the city of Pittsburgh’s wrestling champion, Anthony Alexander might be the most accomplished Golden Triangle Champion in the title’s 19 years. His first reign lasted 735 days. Alexander and Gregory are two of the most powerful and resilient wrestlers in the entire organization. They bring similar pedigrees to the squared circle and any showdown would be epic.

Many other Megastars could be in contention, and the KSWA Championship Committee has not failed to present shots at prestigious titles at the most unexpected of times. That’s one of the reasons why one doesn’t miss a KSWA live event; It’s professional wrestling the way you like it.